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London Air Pollution Will Be High On Wednesday

Here’s an advance warning: air pollution in London is going to be pretty grim on Wednesday.

Not that air quality’s been peachy so far this week, what with all the Saharan sand blown in (that’s what the dust all over people’s cars has been). But early morning rains have helped keep the worst out of the sky; no such showers are forecast tonight and the Met Office predicts an air quality index of 9 for tomorrow; the index only goes up to 10. A monitoring station on Upper Thames Street registered 8 on the air quality index on Tuesday afternoon, according to the London Air Quality Network at King’s College.

The advice for anyone with lung and heart problems, and older people, is to reduce strenuous physical activity. Asthma sufferers should make sure they have their inhaler to hand. The rest of us may suffer sore throats, itchy eyes and coughing; and, if you’re us, a horrible ache in the sinuses.

The pollution’s caused by dirty air being blown in from Europe (and the Sahara) and this nice, still weather we’re having is keeping it over the UK. The Met Office also warns of more dusty rain throughout the week.

This “dirty air coming over from Europe” must be a myth, not? Sounds like people on the continent are suffering real bad… As far as I know if there is a country facing legal fines over air pollution it is the UK.

http://londonist.com/ Rachel Holdsworth

We interviewed Dr Benjamin Barratt of Kings College, who’s part of the London Air Quality Network, a couple of years ago: http://londonist.com/2012/04/londons-air-quality-is-rubbish-but-what-can-be-done.php He explained that yes, our worst air quality episodes happen when warm, southerly winds bring pollution in from Europe and then high pressure keeps it over the UK. Winter winds from the Atlantic bring crappy weather but also relatively clean air. Yes, we have home-grown pollution problems but it’s the combination of local pollution and dirty air blown in from Europe, plus still air over the UK, that create these horrible smogs.